Sewer Infrastructure

Sewerage Services

The town of Deniliquin owns over 108 kilometres of sewer mains and reticulation and more than 1300 other forms of sewer assets (including treatment plant, pump stations, valves and manholes). The town not only maintains the existing sewer infrastructure by cleaning and repairing our pipes, pump stations and manholes, but also by upgrading (relining) or replacing them as necessary.

Wastewater from a household goes into the gravity sewer system and flows to the nearest pumping station. The pumping stations then pump the wastewater to the Sewage Treatment Facility in Calimo Street.

There is an increasing public awareness of the natural values of waterways and that they should not be contaminated by humans' activity. As such any new or existing developments need to be reviewed to take into account the ongoing health of waterways and the Edward River.

Contact Edward River Council for more information on the location of the town’s sewer infrastructure.

What type of Wastewater Treatment Facility do we have?

The treatment facility is situated in Calimo Road. It is a conventional treatment facility using:

  • Grit settling;
  • Clarification;
  • Filtration; and
  • Oxidation

Treated sewage water is recycled through a commercial operation and used in a way that is beneficial to the environment.

How do I report a break or fault?

Contact us to report a break or fault.

You will be required to give the following information:

  • Your name;
  • Your contact number;
  • The location of the emergency; and
  • What the emergency is (e.g. burst mains, leaking hydrant).

In situations where problems are experienced with sewer plumbing within private property, such as  overflows or broken pipe work inside the property, it is the responsibility of the property owner or occupier and they should engage a registered plumber. The plumber should follow a standard procedure in attending problem.

Where do I get a sewer connection form?

The necessary forms for connecting to the Deniliquin sewage reticulation network are available from Council’s Customer Service Centre at 180 Cressy Street, Deniliquin.

Septic Tanks

Septic tanks have been used in un-sewered areas for many years as the most suitable form of primary treatment of sewage and are the only option available to homes in the rural communities of the Edward River region, including Blighty, Conargo, Pretty Pine and Wanganella.
 
The septic tank is an underground watertight tank generally constructed of concrete or plastic which is usually divided into at least two compartments. The tank receives all sewage and separates the solid portion of the waste from the liquid portion. The liquid portion (effluent) passes out of the tank after approximately 24 hours. The tank performs three functions:
  • It acts as a settlement chamber for solid materials;
  • It allows some bacterial breakdown of waste materials to occur; and
  • It acts as a storage chamber for undigested solid materials which must be removed periodically (usually every 4 years).

There are several methods of disposing of the effluent after it has passed through the septic tank. One method is subsurface soakage, known as Absorption Trenches. With this type of system, the effluent is distributed to the base and sides of the trench over its entire length for absorption and final biological treatment by the soil. These trenches work best in light sandy country where there is a good absorption rate.

Absorption Trenches

Absorption Trenches cannot be installed on all sites as some soil types such as heavy clays may be unsuitable. In some cases the site may not have adequate space or is too close to a water course. If ground water is too close to the surface it may interfere with the proper functioning of the system.

If you are required to construct an absorption trench in heavy clay and the trench need to be the maximum size of about 80 metres there may be little difference in the cost of installing an Aerated Water System (AWTS).

Aerated Waste Water System (AWTS)

An Aerated Waste Water Treatment System (AWTS) operates through a multi staged digestion process that treats sewage to a level suitable for surface irrigation in landscaped garden beds or other dispersion areas. These systems need to be inspected by a qualified person 4 times per year to ensure they are working efficiently. An approximate cost per inspection is $65.00.